Conventional building wall construction will typically include a plurality of vertical studs which are secured at spaced intervals to upper and lower horizontal bracing members, typically on 16-inch centers or other centerline distances as may be prescribed. The studs as well as the bracing members may be made from wood, composite materials, or even metal or combinations thereof. Interiorly, the vertical studs are covered by sheetrock, plaster, wood boards, or other interior material, while exteriorly, facing materials, such as wood boards, shingles, stone and/or brick or various combinations thereof, are typically used.
The finished wall construction creates trapped volumes of air between adjacent studs. These trapped volumes of air have some possible negative effects, including a tendency to maintain high interior temperatures on extremely warm days after the outside ambient temperature has gone down. In addition, certain harmful gases from the environment such as radon may become concentrated within the trapped air volumes and then seep out into the interior of the building.
Hence, it is desirable to have a wall construction which would permit movement of the trapped air out of the walls, including a path of air circulation.